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Zambia: Cat Hunting Closed Along with 19 Hunting Concessions for 2013

(posted January 10, 2013)

Lion and leopard hunting in Zambia is closed along with all hunting in the 19 hunting blocks that were to be reallocated for 2013. Hunting will continue on private fenced ranches and hunting blocks that were not included in the 2013-2018 allocation period. That's according to a communiqué issued this morning by Minister of Tourism and Arts Sylvia Masebo.

The Hunting Report reported last week on the canceled tenders for the 19 hunting blocks in question. The cancellation was due to allegations by Masebo of corruption among officials of the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), which was in charge of the tender process. Meetings were held this week to determine how the 2013 hunting season would be handled in light of the cancelled tenders. Masebo held meetings on Wednesday and Thursday, first publicly with the Vice President, the Chief of Chiefs, Wildlife Producers Association of Zambia (WPAZ), the Professional Hunters Association of Zambia (PHAZ) and various Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), then again on Thursday with a smaller group, including PHAZ. The decision that emerged was to close the 19 concessions for this year and rework the tendering process for 2014. Masebo also decided to close all lion and leopard hunting throughout the country. Some industry sources claim that does not apply to the concessions that were not part of the allocations. The Hunting Report is seeking verification on this point and will report the answer before the Safari Club International Convention.

The reason given for the cat hunting closure is that the population figures reported by ZAWA and the subsequent quotas established by them reportedly are unsupported by scientific data. According to sources, Masebo wants to get better numbers to set new quotas for 2014, if the information supports a harvest at all. Since her initial cancellation of tenders, Minister Masebo reportedly has been meeting with chiefs and local scouts in the northern Luangwa areas. She claims they have told her that lions are scarce in their areas and far below the estimates provided by ZAWA.

If you have booked a hunt in one of the 19 suspended concessions or for a cat hunt in any of the other areas that did not go up for tender this year, contact your operator immediately to learn your options.

We will continue to follow developments and provide more clarification. - Barbara Crown, Editor

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